The Way It Is
by tamsyyn
Summary: He wasn't the one he had hoped his daughter would fall in love with.
1. Chapter 1

**The Way It Is**

He wasn't the one he had hoped his daughter would fall in love with.

x.x.x

He opened the door, and the smile on the boy's face slipped a little. The kid had probably been hoping Bella would be the one to open the door, and the two could go off on their own without Charlie sticking his nose in.

The fact that he squashed their plans gave Charlie a kind of satisfaction. "Ah, hi, Chief Swan," Paul greeted hesitantly, shoving his hands into his jean pockets. Looking at Paul, Charlie never failed to see the nine-year-old boy crying over his dead mother. "Come in," he said, stepping back to allow Paul into the house.

"Is Bella—?"

"Still drying her hair," Charlie clarified, shutting the door. "Why don't you have a seat?" He nodded at the couch. To his credit, Paul didn't look nearly as terrified as he had hoped.

Charlie sat down across from Paul. It was quiet. "So," Charlie said. "You're dating my daughter."

"I am," Paul replied simply. He didn't avoid Charlie's gaze. Charlie almost wished he would — that would make him easier to dislike. Why did his daughter chose Paul Lahote? Why couldn't his daughter have dated Jacob Black?

Charlie loved that boy. He was the sort of boy he had always imagined Bella with. Sweet and smart, without a sordid history and with absolute adoration shining in his face every time he looked at Bella. If Charlie had to part with his daughter, to let her fall in love with some kid, he would rather it be one like Jacob.

But he had known Bella thought of him as a brother and nothing more.

The hair dryer turned off. "What will you two be doing tonight?" Charlie asked.

"Dinner and a movie," Paul answered. "The usual."

"Mmm," Charlie nodded. He let his eyes grow steely, trying to transfer the knowledge that he owned many guns and it would be impossible for anyone to find the body. "And should I expect my only daughter back tonight?"

"Ask her."

Charlie wasn't sure if he liked that answer. It was honest, if nothing else. He still hadn't decided when Bella walked into the room, buttoning a cardigan over some dress he had never seen her wear before and saying, "Hey, Dad, Paul should be here soon. Be nice, okay?"

"I'm always nice," Charlie replied. "Right, Paul?"

Bella's head snapped up, her eyes bouncing from her father to Paul and back again. Paul had stood. "How long have you been here?" Bella asked.

"Not long," Paul assured.

She looked at Charlie. "I'll be out late. Don't wait up." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek swiftly before following Paul to the door. Charlie didn't say anything. He was going to wait up, though. When the door shut behind them, he pressed his face to the glass, pushing aside the blinds. Bella's hand had slipped into Paul's as they walked to his car.

Bella laughed at something.

They were swallowed into the darkness. Charlie sighed.

He had meant to wait up. But he must have dozed off after the Mariners game ended, because he found himself jerking awake on the couch when the front door opened. His eyes went wide when he saw Paul carrying his daughter piggyback. Her face was flushed as she giggled into his neck, and the look of adoration Charlie remembered on Jacob's face was nothing compared to the look on Paul's at that moment.

Bella looked happy. He couldn't deny her that. They passed him by without realizing it and disappeared upstairs into Bella's room. A minute later, Paul reappeared. He noticed Charlie this time and paused. "Give me one reason," Charlie said, standing. He might as well get this over with. "Give me one reason why I should be okay with a delinquent dating my daughter."

"I love her." He didn't hesitate.

"If my daughter is happy, then so am I," Charlie finally said, letting his stance soften. "Join us for dinner next week."

"Yeah," Paul nodded. "Okay." He turned to leave, and Charlie didn't stop him.

She could do worse than Paul, he knew that much.


	2. Chapter 2

A glimpse into the future.

x.x.x

Charlie had been working overtime to pay for the wedding.

Truth be told, though, he would much rather be working than going from dress shop to dress shop and talking chocolate praline versus raspberry filled lemon cake and trying to help decide which dinner to serve and what refreshments would be best at the reception.

That Saturday, however, he could no longer avoid all the wedding preparation. The bridesmaid dresses, the wedding gown, the cake, and even the flowers had all been chosen. The only thing left on the list was the tuxedos for the groom and his groomsmen, and Charlie couldn't get out of it. They were meeting at the men's store, Sue was driving over with Seth, and Charlie was supposed to go with Paul and Bella, as he didn't know where the shop was.

He knocked on the door, glancing at his watch. He was a little early, but he wanted to get this all over with. The door swung open to let him in, but before he could say a word, Bella was already walking back into the house, calling over her shoulder, "I need just another minute, okay?"

He nodded. "Sorry I'm early," he said, stepping into the house and closing the door.

"Don't worry about it!" Bella, already out of sight, shouted from the stairs. "I'm just running behind." He nodded despite the fact that she couldn't see him and rocked a little on his heels. His eyes had wandered to the array of photos hung on every inch of the hallway walls when he heard the giggling.

He smiled.

Well, if he had to spend the day trying on tuxes, at least he could start the morning off with his perfect little girl. He walked into the kitchen, frowning for a moment. He didn't see anyone. "Hi Grandpa!"

Charlie's eyes shot to the kitchen table, and to his son-in-law and granddaughter sitting under it. Willow was dressed up in a tutu, her hair in tiny French braids, a feathery sash around her neck and trailing on the ground behind her, and a great deal of Bella's old make-up scattered all around her.

"Look, Grandpa," she said, tugging on her dad's hand to pull him out from under the table. "I'm giving Daddy a makeover!" Sure enough, Paul had bright blue eye shadow spread all around his eyes, two thick streaks of blush on his cheeks, and shining sparkling lip gloss on his mouth. His hair was even done up in ponytails.

"Honey," Charlie said, "You've got a natural talent." Willow beamed, leaning on her father, and tugging a little on his hair, as if to make it just right.

"The blue really makes his eyes pop, doesn't it?" Bella asked, coming downstairs and crossing through the room. "Willow, if you're going to wear that out, at least put your shoes on." She disappeared into the living room, Willow, bouncy and energetic, raced after her. Charlie knew Bella was hassled right now, what with her job at the paper, her second pregnancy, and how very involved she was in his wedding.

He secretly loved how much time she and Sue had been spending together as they planned the wedding, but he hated how over-worked she seemed. Paul stood, stretching a little, and Charlie handed him a paper towel.

"Thanks," Paul replied, rubbing at his make-up.

"Daddy!" Willow shouted, aghast, having returned with her shoes clutched in her chubby hands. "You're messing it up!"

"You can fix it for me later, baby," Paul told her, "And I'll leave the ponytails in, okay?" Charlie swallowed a laugh at what Paul would look like in a tux shop with his hair like that.

"I guess that's okay," Willow conceded.

"Why don't you go finish getting ready and I'll help her with her shoes?" Charlie suggested, squatting down to pull Willow to him. Paul nodded his thanks and disappeared out of the kitchen. "Let's get those shoes on." She let him shove her little stocking-covered feet into the light up shoes, only kicking playfully once, but when he started to tie them, she stopped him.

"No, no, no! I can do it! Look." And with her tongue held between her teeth, concentration etched into her face, she slowly looped her laces and tied her left shoe and then her right. "Look!"

"Wow," he said. "Those are the best tied shoes I've ever seen!" She smiled widely, her brown eyes dancing. He knew she had only started learning a little over a week ago with the hole-punched box Paul had made and laced for her to practice on, and he wanted to puff his chest out proudly over how fast she'd learned.

When Bella had first told him she was pregnant with Willow, it hadn't been the best conversation, probably because it was rather one-sided. He had come home from work, dropping his jacket on the couch and loosening his tie as he pressed the answering machine for messages.

"Hey Dad, it's me," Bella greeted over the machine. "I'm calling you to remind you that Sam and Leah's restaurant is having their soft opening tomorrow evening and you're expected to come. Wear something nice! Oh, and I'm pregnant. I'll see you tomorrow!"

She had been living with Paul for well over a year, she was a college graduate and had a good job at the paper. Still, she and Paul weren't married, and he was well aware procreation hadn't been on her list of things to do in the near future. For a few days, he had decided Paul Lahote was a man marked for dead. It had all worked out in the end, though, and Charlie could no longer see the walls of his office anymore, covered as they were with pictures of Willow.

Bella reappeared in the kitchen, buttoning her coat before holding one out to Willow. "But I don't wanna wear a coat," Willow immediately protested, crossing her arms disagreeably over her chest and looking amusingly like Bella at her age.

"It's cold outside, Willow," Bella replied. Charlie smiled as he watched their conversation. When Bella had finally won and they were all headed to Paul's car, Willow, ever the little speed-demon, running ahead of them, Bella wrapped an arm around her dad's shoulders. "Excited to find that perfect tux?" she asked him, teasing.

"Oh, I am," he assured. "Are you? Because I don't know if you'll able to handle your old man in a tux. It's Swan, Charlie Swan." She rolled her eyes.

"Use that line on Sue," Bella told him. "And she might just call off the wedding."

Charlie only pressed a kiss into her hair.


End file.
